ition, so sudden and unexpected was her arrival. And
in fact, she did seem like a leader of the legendary Valkyries, with
her flashing eyes and wind-swept hair, mounted upon that prancing horse
as black as night itself. It was little wonder that the men trembled
as they watched her, while several crossed themselves as if to ward off
some malign influence.

Curly, who had staggered back aghast at this sudden intrusion, was the
first to recover. He glanced apprehensively around, as if meditating
flight. But Glen's keen eyes detected his design, and she sternly
ordered him to remain where he was. Then she turned and spoke a few
words to her followers in the Indian tongue. At once a rapid movement
took place, as the natives formed themselves in a circle around the
white men and thus barred every avenue of escape. This brought the
miners somewhat to their senses, and seeing that their unwelcome
visitors were not ghosts, their hands slipped to their hip-pockets.
But a mighty roar from Sconda paralyzed their hands, causing them to
drop by their sides as the baffled men stared sullenly upon almost a
score of rifles pointing straight at their hearts.

It seemed to Reynolds as if he must be beholding a vision, so wonderful
did it all appear. He gazed upon Glen with intense admiration. He
could hardly believe it possible that such a sweet, confiding girl
could be so changed into an imperious leader in such a short time.
Could she be the same who had bade him such a tender farewell by the
shore of the lake in the hills? She looked more beautiful than ever
now, but it was the beauty of wild abandon in the glory of a noble
cause, which for the time had transformed this tender maiden into a
woman of unselfish daring. She held him spellbound as she sat so
superbly upon her now quiet horse. Forgotten were his bonds as he
watched her, and his one thought was of her. How had she heard of his
trouble? and how had she managed to arrive just at the critical moment?
He longed to hear the story from her own lips. A passionate desire
swept upon him to enfold her in his arms, to tell her how proud he was
of what she had done, and to press his lips to hers. And she was the
girl who had been so grossly insulted by his villainous captors! The
thought stung him, and he turned sharply toward the cringing Curly.
The brute was standing there, sullen and defiant. Reynolds knew that
he would soon be free, and then he would deal with the